Honda has big plans for small SUV

Global platform begins production next year

Honda showed off a new global car Monday at the 2013 North American International Auto Show in Detroit.

The car is the new Urban SUV Concept and it will be based on the all-new Fit subcompact when the production version is released.

The Fit is getting a complete redesign for 2015 and will go on sale in early 2014. Shortly thereafter, Honda says a production version of the Urban SUV Concept will go on sale around the world.

"No one has had greater success with small cars than Honda, and this Urban SUV Concept will create new value in the growing small-SUV segment," said John Mendel, executive vice president of sales at American Honda.

Mendel said no specific information has been released on the Urban SUV Concept yet, but he said we can expect a five-seater with class-leading performance and fuel economy.

Coming in at just over 169 inches, the car is 9 inches shorter than the CR-V. Still, with clever seats and configurations, Honda expects the car will be very versatile on the inside.

The new small SUV will be built at Honda’s new factory in Celaya, Mexico, which is expected to open in the spring of 2014.

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